penetents which at the riuer receiued the baptisme of pennance thou wast content to be baptized of thy baptist and together with this abasing of thy selfe by touching the water with thy precious flesh giuing regeneratiue vertue to the waters which afterwards haue serued for a bath to wash away and cleanse originall sinne 11. Thou wast called an immaculate Lambe and why so if not because thou wast to be a victime for our sinne a pacifiing host in thasksgiuing for benefits a true holocaust in testimonie of loue 12. Thou enduredst hunger to feede and fill me thirst to quench my thirstie appetites colde and heate to remedie my passions 13. Thou diddest perseuer in prayer that I might learne to surmount the difficulties and tediousnesse which I finde in that exercise 14. Thou wert tempted permitting the Common enemie to assault thee was it not to driue him away from me and to giue me force to resist and ouercome him 15. The Angels come to serue thee after the victorie to assure me of the like and as it were to promise me that thou wouldst in person serue them which shall be victorious ouer the enemies of thy glory 16. Thou diddest call vnto thee Apostles mad'st choise of Disciples and it was to leaue me so many Masters and Teachers Thou reproouedst them for â—heir faults for the correction of mine Thou didst beare with them in their infirmities to make me knowe how paciently thou wouldst beare with mine 17. Thou didst restore to the lame their limbes to the blinde their sight hearing to the deafe speech to the dumb Thou didst Catechise the ignorant cure the Paralitiques raise the dead and all this to illuminate the eyes of my vnderstanding to open the eare of my hart to rectifie the gate of my affections to cureithe Palsey of my soule to vnloose my tongue that it might vtter thy prayses to set me at libertie from death of sinne to draw me out of the graue of my iniquitie to make me borne a newe by grace drawne out from vnder the marble of my naughtie habites and customes 18. Thou wert solde by one of thy Apostles to th' end that I might not bee solde to mine enemies thou wast forsaken of thy Disciples neuer to forsake abandon me thou wast seased with feare going to thy so ofteÌ„ desired temporall death to giue mee assurance and courage against the feares and frightes of aeternall death 19. Thou wast tyed that I might be vntyed contemptuously treated to make me respected cloathed with an ignominious garment of purple that I might be vested with the robe of honor thou carriedst a reede in thy hand to put in my hand the Sâ—epter of heauen and earth vpon thy head a crowne of Thorneâ— that I might come to weare a crowne of Glory Thou wert conuented before prophane Tribunalls that I might be iustified at the Tribunall of my Iudge It was saide of thee in mockerie Beholde the man thereby to recouer for me the most noble title of the childe of God which I had lost 20. Thou wast charged with the heauy burthen of the Crosse and wherefore If not to discharge me of the insupportable burthen of my iniquities 21. Why wert thou lead vp to the Mount Caluarie but to lift me vp to the mount of heauenly faelicitie why nayled in the midst between two theeues but to place me amidst the Angels why were thy armes stretched out vpon the Crosse but onely with tender loue and affection to embrace me 22. Mee thinke I heare thee say O the God of loue that if in dying thou bowe downe thy head it is to giue me the kisse of peace If one open thy side with a Speare it is that I may haue a place whether to retjre my selfe and to make me know that the affection of thy heart with which thou louest me surpasseth the passion of thy body in which thou dyedst for mee To conclude if thou dyedst it is to giue me life Title 27. A Prayer agreeing with the former CoÌ„munication and Conference had with God 1. O My God my Sauiour bestow vpon mee then that grace that I may conceiue thee by affection carry thee in the wombe of my soule by desire be deliuered of thee by such workes as are pleasing to thy diuine Maiestie to this end I implore the brests of thy mercy by the brests of thy holy Mother with thou didst sucke 2. Disdaine not the hay and straw of my vanitie the Maunger of my naughtie habites the filth of my indeuotions the brute beasts of my irascible and concupissible affections 3. I offer vp with the Shepheards the little I am in body and soule with the three Kings the Golde the Mirrhe Frankensence of my memorie of my vnderstanding and of my will 4. Circumcise and cut away all whatsoeuer is in me that is displeasing vnto thee and by the merite of thy first paine plucke vp by the rootes in mee the first young springings of all euill pleasures 5. Present me in the temple of grace to God thy Father and with thy fiue woundes as with the fiue peeces of money redeeme me from the seruitude of sinne 6. By the merit of thy flight into Aegypt obtaine for mee that I may flie and auoyde all occasions of sinne and that as at thy entrie into Egypt all the oracles of Idolatrie were silent so there may be in me a beginning laide of neuer sinning 7. Speake in mee my God make me heare thy voyce and for thy loue obedient to my superiour 8. What care I for beeing knowne in the world seeing thou wert so long vnknowne and mistaken I aske of thee so much honour or dishonour as is necessary for me for thy glory and no more 9. I present vnto thee not onely the reasonable actions of my life but also those which appertaine vnto sence and drinking eating sleeping and such others which I desire thee to looke vpon as vnited with those of my redeemer thy Son Graunt that with him I may ouercome my temptations that I may be washed in the Iordain of thy graces and that it may be saide of me This is the beloued seruant of God in whom he taketh great pleasure 10. I languish with desire to follow thee not as that miserable wretch that betrayed thee and solde thee to the Iewes but as thy faithfull Apostles who haue signed with their bloud and sealed with their death the faith fidelitie they had promised thee 11. Thou wilt change the dirtie and stinking water of my imperfections into the most precious wine of thy loue wheÌ„ by thy grace I shall no more loose the sight of thee and that neere vnto thee I shall make three tabernacles of my vnderstanding memorie and will in which thou shalt dwell and make thy abode with contentment 12. The filth of my imperfections hindreth me from presenting my selfe as I ought to thy holy Table wash then the feete of my affection that from hence-foorth it touch not the earth
shall be for thy greater glory Title 31. In obeying our Superiours 1. I Honour thee O my God in them as in thy Image and protest that all the seruice I doe them I doe it for thee 2. I will loue them in thee and thee in them and will doe them no reuerence neither interiour nor exteriour but with intention that all redound vnto thee Title 32. In seeing the magnificencie of the Court. 1. FArre greater things are recounted of thee O heauenly Sion 2. All that I see here are no better then the sweepings of Heauen 3. When shall I see thee in thy owne brightnesse O King of glory 4. All this greatnesse passeth with the figure of the world but the greatnesse of Heauen continueth eternally Title 33. At our going out of our Lodging 1. SEt my feet in thy paths O my God my way my truth and my life 2. Make me auoide and shun all bad company and turne away from mee all occasion of sinne 3. The Riuers run to the Sea the Starres holde alway their course the Elements tend to their Sphere all heauy thinges naturally descend to the Center Euen so I goe to thee Center of my affections Sphere of my soule Heauen full of benigne influence great Ocean of Charitie and Mercie Title 34. In beholding any Garden or Meddow 1. O Architect of the world which hast powred forth vpon this immouable and insensible world so great beautie and such varietie of odours and colours why dost thou not the same to the territorie of my soule 2. If the earth of the dying be so beautifull how beautifull is the land of the liuing 3. The dewe the rayne the influences of Heauen are not so necessarie for these flowers as the grace of God and fauourable aspect of the holy Ghost are necessarie for my soule Title 35. In seeing a Field Couered with Flowers 1. THe odour of the Son of God and the blessed Virgin Mary is like to the odour of a field vpon which our Lord hath powred out his blessings 2. If heauen were locally to be deuided to all the blessed Saints as was the Land of promise to the Israelites euery one should haue more for his part then the whole world what do I then here and what stayeth me here O my God Title 36. When one smelleth to a Nosgay 1 O how much sweeter art thou my sweete and beloued Iesus 2. When thou shalt be pleased O the loue of my soule thou shalt smell in me the Rose of Charitie the Lilly of Puritie the Violet of humilitie the Gilliflower of hope 3. I would and desire many things according to sense many things which I cannot get I make of them all a Nosegay as beeing your spouse to present vnto thee O the Spouse of my soule Title 37. When we admire the beautie of any building 1. EVen so the Birds highly prize esteeme the Rockes where they build their nests and the Ants their little holes where they lodge 2. All this is common both to the friends and enemies of God 3. What an habitation is that which thou reseruedst for thy Children O God of Israell what and how delightfull shall be the Tabernacles of Iacob seeing thou art so liberall to the tabernacles of Moab 4. One day in the house of God is more worth thē a thousand yeares in this base lodging in which the Beasts lodge with me 5. If such bee the habitation of the body exposed to sinne and subiect to death what shall be the habitation of the soule when it shall bee by grace impeccable as it is by nature immortall Title 38. When you beholde your selfe in a Glasse 1. Sweet IESVS the looking glasse of my life when shall I see my selfe in thee and thee in mee 2. My onely desire bee to please thee and my onely feare be to displease thee 3. I shall be beautifull in thy eyes when I shal be displeasing in my owne 4. The beautie of the body withereth and rotteth if it be not accompanied with the beautie of the soule 5. I will looke vpon the life of Saintes to behold in it as in a glasse my owne deformities 6. There are certaine persons which are alwaies running to their Looking-glasses I will haue no other looking-glasse but thee O Sonne of God in whom the Father as in a glasse seeth his owne essence and beholdeth his perfections 7. O what a looking glasse is that in which God the Father taketh a view of himselfe wherein consisteth his blessednesse Thou art the looking-glasse O eternall worde which representeth the essence substance thou takest from him Title 39. In putting on our Apparell 1. I Stand in more neede of vertues with which to adorne my soule then of this apparell wherewith I set forth my body Cloth me O my God with thy grace and couer my spirituall nakednesse with the rich robe of perfect Charitie 2. Iesus my loue when shall I put on thee pardon me the too great sollicitude and the ouer long time I spend in apparelling and decking my body a sacke of wormes a tombe of death a masse of flesh which is neuer satisfied 3. How long shal I serue with such attention this my slaue and pamper this my domestical enemie 4. I deserue not the name of a Christian nor so much as to appeare in thy presence if I haue not at least as great care of the beautie of my soule as I am sollicitous about the beautie of my body 5. Should I not now bee a Saint if I had done and endured thought and cast about as much for the one as I haue done for the other pardon me this vanitie O my God by the merits of Iesus Christ thy Son who is the true and amiable beautie 6. What were the cogitations and thoughts of the Mother of God of St. Edowing Dutches of Poland of St. Elizabeth Queene of Hungarie when they did put on their apparell 7. Our naturall and borrowed dresses put the crowne of Thornes vpon thy head our cherry-red vermilion adorne thy face with bloud and spittle I protest to thy diuine Maiesty in the presence of the Angels Saints that all the sollicitude care paine that I will henceforth take about this my miserable body shall be purely and simplie to discharge the vocation to which it hath pleased thee to call me beseeching thee not to permit that any thing be in me that may offend thee or be an occasiō of offence to any 8. I had rather be the foulest creature in the world then that my body should bee but once the occasion of any ones falling but into only one deadly sinne Make then of it O my God an Organ of Puritie and an instrument of thy Glory Title 40. Inputting off our Apparell 1. THis body of mine is nothing else but the garment of my soule which I must put off when the night of death approacheth 2. I will treat my body from henceforth as I would wish to haue
treated at the hower of death Giue me grace to doe it O my God 3. My apparell is the ornament of my body O that my body might serue for an ornament to my soule conuersing holily during the time of my abode in this world vntill thou O monarch of our liues commaund me to put off this mortall skin Title 41. In putting on Iewels and other ornaments 1. HOw much more precious are thy ornaments O blessed holy Ghost O my heauenly spouse the only beloued of my soule giue me the abillament of good example the Diamond of pacience the Rubie of charitie the Emrauld of hope the Topaze of humilitie the Sardonix of puritie 2. As our serges and clothes are the fleece of Sheepe our shooes the Skins of Beasts our Silkes and Veluetts the excrements of Wormes our Amber and perfumes the Mushrums of the Ocean and sweat of beasts our Feathers and Fannes the spoyle of the Birds our golde siluer white yellow earth euen so our precious stone are as it were the warts of the Orient mountains our Pearles the excrements of the Sea Such then is O God of truth the Attire of our vanitie Open then my eyes the eyes of all Christians that acknowledging our selues to be aparelled from the Brokers shop as kings vpoÌ„ the Stage as such miserable beggers as liue vpon the rich mens almes begged from the beasts We must seeke and take from thy liberal hand the ornaments of the soule which need cost vs nothing but the asking and the will to serue our selues of them Title 42. Washing our hands our face 1. MY hands my face were neuer soule by either speaking or looking but the face of my soule hath beene often defiled both by the one and the other 2. Wash me then and cleanse me O my God by all the teares of Iesus Christ thy Son by the bloudy sweat which issued out of his diuine person in the Garden of Gethsemanie by the miraculous water which together with blud issued out of his side It is the imperiall and heauenly water distilled by the fier of his charitie which alone can take away the spots of my soule and make the same pleasing vnto thy eyes powre it vpon me O God of puritie Title 43. When you vse your Fanne 1. DIuine winde which proceedest from the mouth of the Father the Son as froÌ„ one Origen coole and refresh the heat of my passions the distemper of my affections 2. Amiable Spirit desired winde dissipate the noughtie Ayre of our temptations the fierie exhalations raised by the irassible part of my soule the misty vapours exhaled from my concupiscence Title 44. When the Clocke striketh 1. SO much the lesse of my life is to runne 2. The Yard yâ— measureth our mortall Life is the houre out of which it followeth that neither mid-night nor mid-day euer strike but death hath taken away twelue yardes of my peece of cloath that is so much time of life or rather so many houres of my life 3. Soueraigne steward of our liues and disposer of our daies make me so passe this hower to come as I would haue wished to haue imployed all the houres of my life 4. I make an offer vnto thee O my God of all that euer I shall say doe or thinke vntill the next hower vniting them to the deedes wordes thoughts of Iesus Christ thy Sonne 5. The Periods of all time are comprised in the moment of thy aeternitie nothing is past nothing is to come before thee and all is there present And yet neuerthelesse we are free to doe or not to doe that which thou desirest And consequently it is in our power to giue thee either contentment or discontentment aeternall Permit not O my God that I euer charge thee with any such discontentment but make mee such an one temporally as thou desirest to see mee aeternally That so I may rather giue thee eternall contentment then one minute of discontentment 6. I make an offer vnto thee of all the time that I haue lost and euill imployed and in supply thereof I make a present of that time which hath measured the life and actions of my Lord thy Sonne beeing sorrie from my heart that I cannot recall those yeares that I haue so ill imployed I make then O my God an offer and sacrifice no lesse of that which I caÌ„not then of that which I can 7. O how late haue I known thee thou infinite goodnesse how late haue I loued thee ancient beautie that neuer fadest but alwaies coÌ„tinuest the same 8. Looke how many minutes there are in the houres or how many houres according in time eternall which are without number So often doe I blesse thee O thou ancient of dayes and I giue thee thankes more for that which thou art then for that which I am Title 45. Touching the care wee are to haue of our Children 1. THese are the beames of thy grace O Father of light these are thy gifts the workmanship of thy hands I offer them vnto thee as thine and I besâ—ech thee to take care of them as of thinges without comparison more oppertaining to thee then to me 2. Accept of all that I haue done doe or shal doe for them as being aliue wholy for thee for I haue no interest in them but from thee from whome they haue and of whome they holde body soule life 3. Abraham made but once only a sacrifice of his only son I make it not onely of mine but of my selfe and of all that I haue that so often as I breath foorth or take in my breath 4. When I feele in my selfe certaine effectes of tender loue towards them I begin to conceaue a new confidence and a wonderfull hope O my God knowing how much more tenderly thou affectest them then I doe or can Being assured that thy loue far surmounteth mine and that without all comparison O thrice happy condition of soules which call themselues are called by thee thy daughters 5. Haue I any right to these Children or any intrest comparable to that which thou hast I am ashamed to recommend them vnto thee For it were as much as to pray thee to haue care of that which is thine 6. No man buildeth a house to plucke it downe no man planteth a vinyard to root it vp nor soweth a field to burne the haruest How then canst thou neglect these yong plants planted by thy grace in the Orchard of thy Church watered with thy bloud designed by thee to be transported one day into the Garden of thy aeternitie 7. I sinne blinde buzzard that I am as too couetous louing to much that which they haue take away this ouerplus O Father of mercie Or if the force of nature must so farre preuaile that it must needs remaine impure the same to the excesse of that affectioÌ„ which I owe to all that with appertayneth to thee 8. I fall somtimes into certain
and infinite Author of all thinges Secondly for a petition made vnto those whom we acknowledge to be indued with that excellencie which is only fouÌ„d in the friends of God that are in heauen and lastly for a request made vnto any other with that respect which we acknowledge to bee due vnto those that haue the meanes to helpe vs. In the first second sense this word is vsed when we are said to pray or to make our prayer vnto another in the last sense when wee pray our friends or our betters to doe this or yâ— for vs For although we pray them yet wee are not properly said to pray or to make our prayer vnto them By Prayer to Saincts therefore we vnderstand a request made vnto them not with that worship which is due vnto God as the Author of all things but with that honour and reuerence with is due to the Saints of God aboue all other Creatures And in this sense the Protestants theÌ„selues will graunt That if it be lawfull to make any request vnto them it ought to be done with that reuerence which is conuenient by consequence that in this sense it is not only lawfull to pray them if it be lawfull at all but also to pray vnto them Lastly to the end that no exception be taken against the proofes that follow as not sufficiently deliuered according to my promise out of Scripture thou must consider that two maÌ„ner of wayes a thing may be proued out of Scripture First by the expresse wordes thereof in which manner we proue many thinges against the Protestants As for example That man is iustified by workes and not Iam. 2. 24 Iohn 20 22. 23. Math. 26â— 27. by Faith alone That Priests receiue the Holy Ghost to forgiue sinnes That the Blessed Sacrament is the body blood of Christ 1 Cor. 11â— 14. and the like But in this maÌ„ner the Protestants cannot directly proue any one point of their Religion against vs. Therfore no reason that in all points they should exact this kinde of proofe at our hands Secondly a thing may bee prooued by Scripture as following by necessary consequence out of scripture which kind of proofe and no other the Protestants though failing therein no lesse then in the former pretend to be the very ground of their Faith in those points wherein they differ from vs And after this manner I intend to make it euident that prayer to Saints may bee lawfully vsed according to the Scriptures THE FIRST ARGVMENT Therefore may be taken out of those Scriptures which recommend vnto vs the Authority of the Church For in them wee learne That our Sauiour himselfe hath sent his holy spirit to Iohn 16. 13. teach her all truth and to remaine with her for euer In Io. 14. 16 which respect she is not onely termed by Saint Paul The Piller Tim. 3. 17 and foundation of truth but also our Sauiour himselfe saith expresly of her That hee who will Math. 18â— 17. not heare herâ— or which is all one hee that will not beleeue her ought to bee esteemed noâ— better then aâ— Eathnick From whence therefore I conclude Augustin Lib. cont Crescon cap. 33. and affirme with Saint Augustine That wee doe nothing but according to Scripture in doing that which the whole Church approoueth whome the Scriptures Augustin Epist 118 cap. 2. themselues commend vnto vs. To which purpose also hee spared not to write That to dispute whether any thing bee lawfull which the whole Church frequenteth throughout the world is most insolent madnesse In fine there are many pointes of Faith with though they be not expresly written the Protestants belieue practise with vs and among other thinges which I haue noted before The lawfull neglect of the Iewes Sabaoth no where abrogated and the necessary obseruation of Sunday no where commaunded in holy writ which therefore can no otherwise be proued out of Scripture but onely by the authoritie of the Church which the Scripture commaundeth to be beleeued This beeing supposed to make it appeare that the Church of Christ and the Pastors therof not onely allowed this Doctrine of prayer to Saints but also practised the same I alledge the Epistle of the Bishops of Europe to Leo the Emperour in the fourth age after Christ which Epistle is ioyned to the Councell of Chalcedon where they say thus Wee put the most holy Proterius in the rancke and Quyre of the holy Martyrs and wee demaund by his intercession That God would be pleased to bee mercifull and propitious vnto vs. And in the Councell it selfe which is one of the foure CouÌ„cels that the Protestants pretend to reuerence with Saint Gregory no lesse then the foure Gospels the Fathers assembled speake thus Flauianus liueth ChalcedoÌ„ Acts 11. after death as beeing a Maister let him pray for vs. Likewise in the sixt generall Councell the Fathers say God alone the Creator being Adored let the Christian Synod 6. â—ap 7 man call vpon his Saints that they would bee pleased to make intercession for him vnto his diuine Maiestie Whereunto I will onely adde another like authoritie of the seauenth generall Councell speaking as followeth Let vs doe all thinges with Synod 7. â—ct 6 feare demaunding the intercession of the incontaminate Mother of God as also of the Angels and of all the Saints Thus these generall Councels in the person of the whole Catholike Church Let vs hear now some other expresse testimonies of the auncient Fathers in the first ages after Christ St. Bazill in his Oration vpon the Bazill orat in 40 Martyrs 40 Martyrs Hee that is pressed with any difficultie let him fly vnto them Hee againe that reioyceth let him call vpon them the one that he may be deliuered from euill the other that he may perseuer in good St. Cyrill when wee Cyril catechesi â— Mistagoâ—gica offer this sacrifice wee make mention of them that haue slept before vs especially of the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Martyrs That God by their orisons would receiue our prayers St. Ambrose wee must pray vnto Angels who Ambr. 1 de viduiâ— are giuen vs for our guard wee must pray vnto Martyrs whose patronage wee seeme to challenge by the pawne of their Bodyes they are our Gouernours they are the Ouerseers of our liues and actions Wee are not ashamed to make them the intercessors of our infirmitie because themselues haue knowne th' infirmitie of their Bodyes euen in their victories Thus these holy Fathers Of the practise of this Doctrine and of the perticuler prayers made by the Fathers themselues in all ages to the Saints of Heauen that shall suffice which I haue cyted already out of their speeches to our B. Lady both because to shew this exactly were sufficient to make a large volume as also because no Protestant that is not altogether ignorant or extreamly impudent can deny it In fine therfore the Doctrin of the Fathers in
But seeing O soueraigne truth thou canst not iudge of thinges or take them otherwise then they are and that if I doe seeke my selfe thou canst not but know that I doe so I am content if it be so But with this condition O my God and not otherwise that thou looke vpon me from henceforth as a thing yâ— is thine and that thou impute the loue of my sâ—lfâ— as an affection bestowed vpon a thing that is wholly thine As the sonne whatsoeuer he gets hee gets to the bâ—nefit of his father so long as hee is vnder the power of his father and as a bond slaue whatsoeuer he gets is to his maisters profit 12. From henceforth all the solicitude I shall haue either for apparell or meate or drinke or any such like thinges all my affections reflections goings forth returnings backe that I shall haue either in my selfe of my selfe or about my selfe all my ioy all my feare all my sorrowes all my pleasures all whatsoeuer appertaining to my vanitie past and the inordinate care yâ— I haue had of my selfe all this my God shall from henceforth be wholly addicted to thy seruice vnto the preseruation of a thing which is thine neither more nor lesse then if all this were done by me to any poore creature in an Hospitall or any other towards whome all this exercise of diligence and charity should be pleasing to thee Allow this O my God receiue this O my Father accept of this O my gracious Lord by the merits of him whose workes wordes and thoughts neuer strayed from thy will He hath liued for me he dyed for me euen so I will dye to my selfe and liue to him and so my life shall be hidden in his and shall appeare before thee as if it were his and all the care I shall haue shall not bee of a thing that is mine but it shal be O the onely beloued of my soule as of a thing that is thine And what other meanes O God of my soule can be found tâ— cut off the heade and kill this most horrible Hydra of selfe-loue considering the great malice thereof Title 5. To the soule of our Sauiour Iesus Christ 1. MOst holy and most happy soule Empresse of Heauen and earth I beseech thee by thy incomparable grace which thou receiuedst wheÌ„ at the instant of thy creation thou wa 〈…〉 â—ited to thy diuinitie and supported by the person of the word that thou wilt be pleased to obtaine for mee those vertues of which thou hast left vs both a Commandement and an example aboue all others Chartitie humilitie and puritie 2. By the blessednesse thou didst enioy euen then beholding the Essence of the Sonne of God to whome thou are personally vnited deliuer mee from the loue of my selfe and the great miserie of my imperfections 3. Thy holy Mother was impeccable by grace thou wast so by nature as well for that thy diuine Will did gouerne thy humane as also because by thy vnderstanding thou didst possesse and by thy will created thou hadst fruition of the Diuine essence I dare not aske impeccabilitie but onely the grace neuer to sinne and if the power to sinne be left me yet that the effect of that power be taken from me 4. Soule seate of wisdome which containest in thee the treasures of thy Fathers science thou hast been indued with knowledge diuine blessed and insused ouer and aboue the knowledge experimentall and acquisite which was euery day encreased in thee Obtaine for me by these so rare priuiledges and prerogatiues that I may haue knowledge both of diuine and humaine thinges so as I may neuer stray from the right path of faith and charitie 5. Soule the splendor of the glory of the Father and the Image of his goodnesse be my guide and conductor in the midst of the perils and temptations of the dangerous life of this world Dissipate the cloudes of my passions driue away the night of my ignorance making me euer and in all things to acknowledge his will to whoÌ„ thou art personally vnited 6. Ouer and aboue the grace of vnion hipostaticall and blessed thou baâ—st also the grace of Capitall vnion as being the head of men and Angels Make me then to draw aboundantly out of this plentifull well and to pertake to the greater glory of thy Father of those influences which flow vpon thy misticall body the Church militant and Triumphant 7. Who is able to expresse the thanksgiuing when of nothing and out of that bottomlesse depth of not being any thing common to all creatures thou perceiuedst thy selfe to bee transported to a personall vnion with God who is able to recount that holocaust and sacrifice that thou madest of thy selfe for the accomplishing of that excellent worke of our redemption with what excesse of Charitie diddest thou consecrate thy selfe to God the Father with what an eye of compassion didst thou behold humaine Nature of which thou wast a noble sprig and branch In remembrance of all those thy internall eminent actions for the loue of thy Hypostasie by the merites of thy abode in this world and by all whatsoeuer appertaineth to thy incarnation I beseech thee to thanke him for me to whome thou art vnited to giue and sacrifice me to his glory to present vnto him my actions vowes intentions and thoughts to make my miserable abode in this world pleasing vnto him to make vnto him an holocaust of my life and a sacrifice of my death 8. Thou wast no sooner vnited to that body framed in the womb of the Virgin drawne and taken out of the most pure substance of thy virgin Moâ—â—er but that thou wast receiued and supported by the word O so 〈…〉 Queene of men Princesse of Angels obtaine for me by this grace the grace that I may be deliuered from the cogitation of the body and infection of the flesh from which thou wast preserued being by an extraordinary manner without Adam ioyned to the flesh which descended from Adam 9. Ignorance frailtie and malice are the furniture of this corrupt Masse from which wee are drown'd and of that first fault from which thou wast the deliuerer and the deliuered I beseech thee to guard me from the falls to which I am subiect by my naturall corruption and that by the merits of thy incomparable integritie puritie and holinesse 10. Thy heart was alwayes attentiue to God of whome thou neuer didst loose the sight obtain that I may liue in his presence in him euer and euer before him 11. In vertue of the deiformitie of thy soule my sweete Iesus I begg of thee the guift of conformitie and vniformitie with thee 12. By reason of thy Hypostaticall vnion thy actions were of infinite merit and the onely act of thy incarnation sufficient to redeeme a thousand worlds What shall I not then obtaine of God thy Father if thou shalt please once to present vnto him that which thou hast offered and shed for mee which is thy precious bloud and thy
Deliuer mee then out of the prison of sinne breake in peeces the chaynes of my bad customes that they may fall from mee before the face of my God Title 16. To Saint Paul 1. VEssell of Election Apostle of the holy Ghost Interpretor of the Diuinitie Doctor of the Gentiles it is to thee that I haue my recourse and in whom I haue particuler confidence Considering the Charitie that made thee desire to be an Anathema for thy bretheren thy Humilitie which made thee name thy selfe a Childe vntimely borne acknowledging that thou haddest persecuted the Church thy inflamed Loue towards Iesus Christ which made thee liue more in him then in thy selfe 2. Thou calledst them thrice yea foure times accursed which loue not our Lord Iesus Christ deliuer vs then from this malediction and make vs such by thy prayers as in thy writings thou desirest we should be 3. Thou wouldst whilst thou wast heere vpon earth if it had beene in thy power haue set the whole world on fire in the loue of God 4. Thou now art able to doe what thou wilt enflame then my heart with the fire of Charitie so as I may truely say with thee I liue but I liue not in my selfe for Iesus Christ is my life 5. O when will the time come that my life may be hidden with God in Iesus Christ when will the hower come that I shall liue to him who dyed for me 6. When shall I put off the olde Adaem to put on the new formed and reformed according to God 7. When is it that thy iudgement shall make little or no estimation of the world when shall I neglect the figure of this world which passeth 8. When shall I aspire to that permanent Cittie to the free Ierusalem to the habitation of the Saints 9. Thou great Maister and Chatechist of our soules didst make so little reckoning of Faith if it were not accompanied with Charitie that albeit by it thou haddest transported mountaines distributed all thy goods to the poore spake with the tongues of Angels and of all Nations hadst had perfect intelligence of all the wonders of nature and of all the mysteries of Faith yea though thou haddest exposed thy body to flames all this had serued to no purpose but to make as it were a sound and noyse in the world but before God had beene thou saidst of no valew at all Obtaine then for me this faith quickened by Charitie frō which the iust draw the spring of life and by which as Saint Iames saith Abraham and all the Saints were iustified 10. Thou wilt that wee owe nothing to each other but mutuall loue assuring vs that Charitie is the bond of perfection loue vs then and in louing vs procure that we may loue each other 11. Thou didst carry incessantly the mortification of Iesus Christ in thy body procure that I may haue an internall sense feeling of his wounds that I may willingly be nayled with him to the Crosse 12. Thou prayedst thrice to be deliured from a troublesome tentation and it was answered vnto thee that the grace of God should suffice thee for that vertue is perfected in infirmitie Thrice yea foure times I make supplication to thee not to be deliuered from my temptations but that thou wilt obtaine for me grace and force to ouercome them to the glory of him who hath placed vs here in this world as in a field of warre in the sight of Angels and men to crowne such as shall fight valiantly Thou art hee who didst sight a good combat runne a good race happily end thy course kept thy faith and promise made and for whome the crowne was reserued in the handes of the iust Iudge obtaine for vs this great grace and these tryumphant Lawrels which shall neuer wither 13. More then two hundred soules by thy intercession were not drowned in shipwracke neere to the I le of Malta obtaine by thy prayers that wee may escape the shipwracke of sinne and safely ariue at the happy port of blessednesse 14. Thou desiredst with an inflamed desire to be deliuered from thy mortall body to bee the more neerly vnited to Iesus Christ assist mee that my desire bee alwayes transported to thinges Coelestiall and Eternall 15. Thou diddest afflict and tame thy body and not withstanding thou hadst no reprehension of conscience yet didst not thinke thy selfe in assurance Keepe me from vaine presumption and obtaine for me a filiall feare 16. We thinke our selues often to haue charitie toward God and towards our neighbour when we haue it not if we had the former who could seperate vs from the fidelitie we haue sworne to him could tribulation affliction hunger nakednesse danger persecution the sword No no wee should be assured that neither death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor thinges present nor thinges to come nor any creature should be able to seperate vs from the charitie founded in Iesus Christ 17. And if we had the latter our charitie would be sweete being without emulation without ambition without precipitation It would not be puffed vp by pride it would not bee stirred by choller it would neuer reioyce in anothers infirmitie but contrariwise reioyce in his perfections thinke well of him endure with patience what hee should doe vnto vs conceiue good hope of him Charitie neuer faileth shee is euer like to her selfe as well whether it be towards the learned or the ignorant towards the poore or the rich towards friend or foe towards him that is of a different humour from ours and him who is conformable to vs in our humours 18. When shall it be O great Champion of God Pillar of the Church wonder of the world that I shall haue these qualities Till then I will not cease to knocke at thy gates and I will not giue truce to my lippes or repose to my heart vntill I be heard in this suite Graunt it then grant it O holy Apostle amiable in Heauen imitable vpon earth redoubtable to the Spirits of Hell 19. By all the ropes with which thou wast tyed by all the prisons which thou sanctifiedst by the shipwrackes stonings whippings false accusations treasons and persecutions in which and by which thou didst honour the Sonne of God I beseech thee that my life may be to him a sacrifice and my death an holocaust Title 17. To St. Iohn the Euangelist 1. AS St. Peter was the most louing Apostle so thou wast the most beloued a quality which is singuler for which thou wert to be enuied with an holy aemulation and for the attaining whereunto three remarkable vertues should be necessary which all three shined admirable in thee Charitie Humilitie Puritie what will it cost the◠to obtain them for me 2. One neuer loueth God truly but he is beloued of him and one is not beloued of God but forthwith hee loueth God obtaine then for me O Secretarie of God that I may loue if not so much as I ought yet so much as
beginneth to growe longer and the Sunne of our soules to send foorth more hot beames then ordinarie of his grace the hearbes of good thoughts begin to come on plants of good desires to bud forth the garden of our spirit to flourish throghout with diuer◠flowers promising to vs an happy haruest of good holy works O starres of happy and fauourable aspect worke all these wonders vpon the dry and barraine ground of my soule to the end that by worke and worde I may glorifie him whome yee haue confessed and professed with danger of your liues 2. Men with loynes girded handes with burning Lampes great numbers of you haue excelled in confessing the Faith ther 's haue beene singuler for Learning others admirable for austeritie of life others for heroicall workes appertaining to Christian perfection Obtaine then by your prayers in remembrance and acknowledgement of these graces that I hold fidelitie make knowne both to Heauen and earth that which I am to my God in euery occasion of temptation Seeing that to confesse by deede is nothing else but to leade a life worthy the name of a Christian 3. Our sweet Redeemer being Wisdome it selfe Iustice it selfe Truth it selfe Holinesse it selfe is it not so then that men by their sottishnes and stupiditie following the trace of their appetites like beastes without reason deny his wisdome following iniquitie deny his Iustice giuing themselues to lying deny his Truth and wallowing in the mire of their filthy pleasures renounce his holinesse Permit not O yee gouernours of our soules that I become one of those vngratefull wretches infringers and forsakers of their Faith but that vpon all occasions I may be that which I am to God most humble most obedient and most faithfull as well in effect as in affection as well in execution as in obligation though I should thereby loose my life as many millions of times as I speake or breath Title 23. To the holy Anchorits Hermits and Religious 1. MOuntaines of eminent perfection Sina vpon which God familiarlie speaketh to men Thabor where the Worde incarnate manifested his glory most noble portion only chosen of the heritage of Iesus Christ you are they to whom according to the sayings of the Prophet the waters are open in the desart and the brookes in the wildernesse You are they which haue transplanted the Cedar the white Thorne the Mirrhe the Oliue in the wildernesse You are they who set a fier with a burning desire of heauenly thinges haue with a noble courage frankly and freely renounced the goods and pleasures of this world You are they who being retired into the desarts of secret solitarinesse and straight Monastaries haue giuen your selues to a most austere life and most earnest study of solid vertues You are they who inuironed with bodyes haue surmounted the condition of bodyes and amongst the beasts haue lead the life of Angels You are they who haue made the places before hideous and full of horror by your presence the sanctuarie of God and tabernacle of the holy Ghost O when shall I following your example crucifie in my flesh all vices concupiscences and pleasures when shall I with you and after you embrace an heauenly conuersation in this terrene habitation when shall I haue the earth vnder my affections as I haue it vnder my feete Bring to passe by your merits and prayers O most happy soules tryed a thousand and a thousand times bring to passe I say by all possible meanes and whatsoeuer power you haue in that aeternall Citty especially you yee holy founders reformers and obseruers of regular discipline which haue consecrated by obedience your soules by pouertie your goods and by the vow of Chastitie your bodyes Obtaine for me that in those three thinges I may honour the author of all thinges that I may renounce my owne selfe dye to my owne will and liue to the will of God 2. We that liue in the world are esteemed Saints when wee doe or suffer the thousand part of that you haue done and suffered O what difference will there be betweene you and vs vpon the day when wee shall come to receiue our hyer But yet we wish that you may encrease to thousands and millions for you are our brethren and it is great consolation to vs and a great remedie of our miseries that our cōmon God and Father is honoured in you seeing hee is so little honoured in vs and that we haue elder bretheren which make amends for our faultes Bring to passe also that as wee reioyce that you are what you are and make you sad by being what we our selues are our ioy from henceforth may bee accomplished and alike in all we becomming by your prayers that which you haue beene and by your charitable mediation that which you desire Title 24. To Saint Anthony 1. CHampion of God ouercommer of Deuils fearefull to Hell the honour and wonder of the desart I addresse particularly to thee my sighes and to thee I lift vp the voyce of my desires knowing how much thou hast done for God and how much thou art able to doe with God Bee thou then pleased to obtaine for mee three graces of him who bestowed them vpon thee with many moe the one is the guift of Prayer and an inward conuersation with God the other a perfect victorie of my temptations and the third an inflamed Loue of him which is the lone of Heauen and earth IESVS the Son of God Thou hast so excelled in the first that during the time thou wert before God in prayer yeares were to thee but monthes monthes but weekes weeks but dayes dayes but howers and howers but minutes The Sunne going downe left thee praying and rising againe hee found thee praying and whilst he cast forth his beames somtimes vpon thy backe and sometimes vpon thy face the holy Ghost was working interiourly and effected wonderfull thinges in the most fruitfull soyle of thy soule As for temptations Hell trembled at thee and the Deuill remained as vanquished and taken captiue in thy presence For thou wentst not out of the skirmish as we doe who ordinarily are either beaten or discouraged Thy victories were intire thy lawrell boughes answerable to the strong and couragious resistance thou madest to the enemies of God Wherfore not being able to lay any holde vpon thy soule they exercised their rage vpon thy body bellowing like Bulles roaring like Lyons hissing like Serpents And when they had all done they could not take the forte of thy interiour resolution nor so much as shake the Rocke of thy inexpugnable will As for the loue of God thou said'st often to thy Disciples that the Deuils are affeard of humilitie temporance taming of the body prayer and the exercise of other vertues But aboue all the rest they feare most an inflamed charitie towards the Sonne of God What shall hinder mee then henceforth from shining in those three graces shall the let or hinderance bee on thy part or on mine
the adorned streets through which thou diddest passe with triumph as much vpon the mount Caluarie as vpoÌ„ the mount Thabor as much dying as liuing as much buried as risen again as much in Lymbus as in Heauen Onely grant that I may be thine and that I neuer depart froÌ„ thee whether I be in consolation or desolation poore or rich in plentie or in want all shall be one to me so I may be wholly and only thine Title 54. When we feele our selues drie at Prayer I wil continue with perseuerance before thee not giue ouer O my God I will honour thee with my body seeing I cannot doe it with my soule It is good foe me that thou hast humbled me Now I begin to knowe and feele what I I am Now I touch with my hands my owne misery well perceiue that I am able to do nothing with out thee This is as it were a returning to the nothing from which I took my origen out of which I was drawn by thy omnipotency Blessing praise thankes be to thee my God for euer I merrit not so much as once to enter into thy thought or that thou shoudst once think of me And should be to happy it that I might serue thee but in the condition of a stone or thing without sense and life Receiue the homage don by my miserabie condition to thy blessed selfe who art independant of any hast all contentment in thy self Title 55. When one is despised O My God I haue lost nothing so long as I loose not thee haue I any thing that appertaineth vnto me whether it be goods honours bodie or soule Can any thing fall out in the worlde without thy prouidence Is any thing done sinne only excepted which is not done by thy will If then thou be pleased that I be dispised why should any opposition be made who is he so insolent so bolde a Theife that dare entermeddle with things appertaining to thee contrary to thy will maist not thou doe with that which is thine according to thy pleasure when I am honoured should I reioyce there at for my selfe Is it a thing appertayning to me or to thee It is inough for me O great God that I be thine whether I be an Ant or an Elephant an Egle or a Gnat dirt or golde Title 56. Eleuations of spirit which may be done vpon euery occasion 1. MY God my all IESVS the delight of Heauen earth when shall I be all thine as thou art wholy mine 2. Father of mercy make me such an one as thy Sonne hath deserued and thy holy spirit desireth I should be 3. God of my life when shall I die to my selfe that I may liue to thee 4. Take me my God whether I wil or no seeing I am not so wise as to giue my selfe vnto thee as to haue the will to giue my selfe vnto thee 5. If it should fall out my beloued that I should desire any thing but thee which I desired not for thee I renounce it euen froÌ„ now as if it were then and protest that I haue nothing to loose or gaine besides thee 6. O God God of my soule permit me not to bee at all or procure by thy grace that I may be to serue thee as I am and haue my being from thee 7. I will haue â—o eye but to look vpon thee no eare but to heare thee no tongue but to speake of thee no heart but to think vpon thee no hands but to worke for thee no feet but to walke seek after thee no body but for to offer vp vnto thee no life but to make a sacrifice therof to thy honour and glory 8. God which art Loue giue me Charitie 9. God which wert made Man graunt me Humilitie 10. God which art a pure Spirit bestow vpon me Puritie 11. Omnipotent power strenghthen my weaknesse 12. Eternall wisdome illuminate my darknesse 13. Incomparable mercy pardon my haughtinesse 14 Incomparable beautie to late I haue loued thee 15. Infinite goodnes too late haue I knowne thee 16. Hee that loueth not thee what doth he loue 17 He that admireth not thee what doth he admire I will loue my self not because I am mine but because I am thine I will haue care of my selfe not for any oâ—her reason but because thou so willest and commaundest I esteeme my selfe more happy in thy happines thâ—n I count my selfe wretched for my owne miserie And the contentment I take that thou art that which thou art farre exceedeth the discontentment I feele by being that which I am Be thou then my God for euer that which thou art make me other then I am That is wheras I am my selfe miserable I shall be in thee blessed and happy To thee in thee by thee for thee O my God be all things Amen